Companies that buy houses often struggle to find tenant buyers. It's not that there's no demand for houses-quite the contrary, since many apartment dwellers are eager to buy their own homes. The trouble is, many potential buyers may not have the knowledge to proceed.

Smart companies, then, make the process as simple as possible. There are two routes a company can take when trying to find worthy occupants for homes. The first is a lease option program. With this kind of program, the tenant lives in the property and makes rent payments. The tenant then has the option of purchasing the property.

The second kind of program involves land contracts, also known as contracts for deed. In these cases, the tenant puts money down, moves into the property, and the payments are amortized.

But many potential tenant buyers are not aggressive in obtaining financing. And many mortgage brokers are too busy to deal with the demands of the tenant buyers. The solution, then, may be for you to hire an individual to build a bridge between the tenant buyer and the loan officer.

I call this person a mortgage liaison. This individual answers questions from tenants who are concerned about what they need to do to prepare for the financing process. For instance, if providing a check is part of the loan stipulations, the mortgage liaison can fax a copy of the check to the loan officer. This can be done in a timely manner-and much faster than if the mortgage liaison weren't involved.

The mortgage liaison may meet with tenant buyers in person or over the phone. That personal touch can put a tenant buyer at ease, calming his or her fears about the loan application process. The mortgage liaison also keeps track of all necessary forms, so that the tenant buyer does not have to worry about paperwork.

But, aside from some basic record-keeping, most of the mortgage liaison's work is done over the phone, calling both tenant buyers and loan officers. In fact, the mortgage liaison's most important tool is his or her cell phone. Much of the work can be done on the road.

A company might be reluctant to take on a new hire. But a mortgage liaison is a wise investment, for the company, for the tenant buyer, and for the lender. The mortgage liaison is the critical link that can make 'home, sweet, home' a reality for prospective home buyers.